Tuesday, November 24, 2974
N.C. ESSAY
Page
Cafeteria Dissatisfaction Voiced
By JOHN HAAS
Kssay Staff Reporter
On Oct. 9, Robert Hyatt, dean of
students, received a memo from
Margaret Porter, director of health
services, listing student grievances
against the school cafeteria. The memo,
which was also presented at an
administrative meeting, grew out of a
high school health services meeting to
discuss facilities.
Hyatt said that he had several
meetings with Mrs. Porter and Woodrow
Childress, director of food services
' before receiving the memo about the
number of requests to eat off-campus.
Also discussed were the complaints
voiced by vegetarians about the menus-
The memo was the first formal listmg ot
student grievances to be given to the
administration.
Inflation Is Problem
Childress said his main problem in
meeting student demands is inflation.
For example, he cited sugar had
increased by $4.85 a hundred-weight. The
price of wheat germ has doubled, peanut
Memo from Mrs. Porter
As you are aware we have been
g beseiged by complaints of the Cafeteria
food and what is being offered this year.
S Many students are requesting medical
appointments to find some means of
g; being refunded their money to eat
•ji; elsewhere. Each year there are a few
ijij dissatisfied students, but this year the
complaints have been greater and I have
:.v found more students who are
complaining than I have ever had. I have
discussed this at length with Mr.
Childress (Woodrow Childress, director
lilj of food services) and with Mr. Sokoloff
I;:; (Martin Sokoloff, vice chancelLor for
administration). I am aware of the
increasing cost involved and the
Ijij necessity of cutting the budget. My main
concern has been that foods rich in
ij:: nutritive value are being omitted this
year and other items which are mainly
:¥ carbohydrates are offered in excess.
On Oct. 8, 1974, I held a dormitory
Ji:; meeting for discussion of health services
and to give the students an opportunity
for discussion of any problems they
wished to ask about. When the floor was
opened for discussion, the topic
immediately became a “cafeteria
$; complaint” session. I was surprised to
learn that students were considering
boycotting the cafeteria. Many others
stated they did not plan to pay their
ij:; board money next trimester, but to use
:;jj the money to find their own food
elsewhere. It was explained to them that
g they could not do this without a medical
S reason for doing so. Many dancers are
g very upset over not being able to obtain
food which is sufficient for them in
vj nutritive value. Our present reducing
■x diets cannot be used with what is being
served at present. I explained to them the
necessity for cost control and the cuts
g that would have to be initiated if changes
:;i: were made. I have listed below what they
S want and do not want.
S 1) Return the peanut butter, raisins,
honey, wheat germ, and possibly soy
beans.
2) Serve fruits only at the lunch meal
and have the pastries at the dinner meal
only.
3) Serve more soups.
4) Take away the Kool-Aid, leave milk,
water, tea, and coffee. Serve more fruit
juices.
5) Less grease to the food or if foods are
broiled, remove them from the grease
prior to serving.
6) More raw vegetables. Quit
overcooking the vegetables.
7) Breakfast toast is “dead” when
prepared in quantity. Allow them a
toaster to prepare their own.
8) More cheese and cheese souffle.
9) Less breaded meats, gravies, and
casseroles.
10) Lighter dinner meal and a better
lunch.
11) Serve more ice milk or ice cream
instead of rich pastries.
12) Tired of potatoes every lunch and
dinner.
13) Quit giving seconds on items and be
concerned with quality instead of
quantity.
14) Serve better breakfast meals on
weekends (especially Sunday) when lack
of protein is evident. Quit serving so
many Corn Flakes as dry cereal and ■
serve brands with higher nutritive ;
content. •
15) Why serve cranapple juice and •
tomato juice? Serve two, orange juice ■
and grapefruit juice only. :
16) Since commercial yogurt is so :
expensive, is it possible to make their •
own? j
17) Soups and salad plates are not i
served on a regular basis in the cafeteria. :■
My own observations are that the ;j
students are well aware of cost control, •:
but would be satisfied with less if what i:
they received was of more nutritive 5
value to them. They state they leave .j
things on their plates and waste food, >:
because they can’t eat it. They eat :i
additional desserts because they are •:
allowed to and it is a filler. :•
butter and honey have also gone up. The
price of vegetables has been raised
because of bad spring weather and early
frosts.
Cheese is being added to the menu,
although the availability of dairy
products is down. Childress said that rice
was being used as a substitute for
potatoes. Also Bill Parrish, director of
purchasing, is buying toasters for the
students to use in the cafeteria.
The cafeteria menu is drawn-up by the
Marriott dietician in Washington, D.C.
Although Childress has had a $10,000
increase in his budget (from $319,000 to
$329,000), he finds it hard to meet the
demands of inflation.
Martin Sokoloff, vice Chancellor, said
he was not sympathetic to students
grievances. He said, “The food is
nutritious and well-prepared.”
Childress felt that student grievances
could not be lightly dismissed. He said,
“What might seem petty to an
administrator can be important to the
students.”
This reporter talked to several
students on campus to get their reactions
to the memo and their opinions on the
cafeteria.
Student’s Statements
James Rochelle, a freshman voice
major, when asked if he had seen any
changes in the cafeteria, said, “I’ve seen
some, but according to what the students
want, no.”
Sarah Keith, an eleventh grade visual
arts major, said she would like to see the
cafeteria get rid of the Kool-Aid and
drain grease off meat better. She added,
“Some institutions don’t iiave as good
food as we do, although we could get
better.”
Michael Barry, a senior design and
production major, complained about the
rudeness of the cafeteria staff. He said he
agreed with the entire memo except for
the request for larger lunches and
smaller dinners. He pointed out that D&P
majors have to work late at night and
need the larger suppers.
One music student, preferring to
remain anonymous, said the rice was
poorly prepared. He, too, complained
about the staff, greasy meats, and
overcooked vegetables.
One student asked for more cheese and
other health foods, to which another
commented, “I would much rather see
ten times more of that type of food than
the pies.”
All the students interviewed said the
vegetables are still overcooked and the
meats are still greasy. All but two
mentioned that some of the staff
members are rude. No one had seen any
great changes in the cafeteria.
Proposal for Park
Flashes!
PARK, From Page 1
mid-October. It met with immediate
opposition from Cecil Butler, a candidate
for the board who was defeated in the
May primary.
The proposal said: “The total effect is
an inauspicious entry into a facility
which has by now obtained statewide and
national stature as an educational
institution and a center for the arts. The
programs and accomplishments of the
School are models for the nation, but the
physical surroundings and entry way are
far from exemplary.”
“A constant problem in campus life is
the absence of any green area, space for
walking, thinking and general
recreation,” The proposal said. “A
cultural park, in effect, would
complement and enhance the creative
and artistic work of the school.”
The proposal is one of a number for
blighted areas throughout the city. Early
in 1975, the city will submit an
application to the Department of Housing
and Urban Development for a total grant
of $15.8 million.
Suggestions for the application must be
approved by the city Board of Aldermen,
which decides how much of the money
NCSA Alive and Active
By KAY CRUTHCER
Kssay Staff Reporter
Did you know that Bob Hyatt, dean of
students, is on the board of directors of
the Bicentennial Barge Project? The
goal of this board, as Hyatt described it,
is to establish a floating educational
center with an emphasis on the fine arts
to tour the coastal regions of North
Carolina.
Kathy Fitzgerald, who has been at
NCSA since 1966, left the North Carolina
Dance Theatre on November 7, with her
husband, Michael Saunders, also an
alumnus. The Saunders have gone to join
the Netherlands Dance Theatre.
Brian Pitts, NCSA’s very first
Nutcracker, opened Oct. 18 in a leading
dance role in “Death in Venice” with the
Metropolitan Opera. Pitts has received
enthusiastic reviews in both the New
York Times and Newsweek magazine.
William Beck, semi professional
photographer and member of the voice
faculty is directing two operas in Raleigh
- “Elixir of I>ove” and “Cinderella” -
both for January openings.
Robert Lindgren.'dean of dance, says
he will be in California Nov. 29-30 for a
convention of heads of leading dance
departments from universities all over
the U.S.
Copies of Alton Buzbee’s new book
“The Pain of the Joy,” will soon be
available from “The Book.End” and
from Buzbee.
A new North Carolina Dance Theatre
work, “Nocturnal Sun,” is being
choreographed by Richard Kuch to
music by former NCSA student Mike
Colina.
Plans for the International Music
Program this summer are moving right
along, according to Dr. William Baskin,
dean of academics. Please note earlier
dates for 1975: July 6 - August 10.
Charlie Frohn of the academic
department will play the role of the Count
Guillot de Morfontaine in the production
of “Manon” during Intensive Arts.
Harry Huff, organ major, and Heawon
Kim, piano major, have won the annual
state competition sponsored by the North
Carolina Music Teachers’ Association.
Both students will play in the
Southeastern regional competition in
February.
Ron Pollock, dean of drama, upon
returning from London last week, spent
his time hauling leaves in a cart he built
with training wheels from a tricycle.
Pollock brings us news of Paul Meier,
drama faculty member on a one-year
leave. He says Meier, who is directing
several NCSA students in a production of
“Joe Egg,” is finding lx>ndon expensive.
Mark Pirolo and Maureen Trotto, D &
P faculty, have won Eugene O’Neill
Awards for the summer 1973 production
“Sweet Diversions”. Pirolo, the author of
the show, received the award for Best
Musical and Ms. Trotto received the
award for Best Director.
will be used. The board is having a series
of public meetings in which anyone can
say what he feels.
According to U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development
guidelines, the money is for “the
development of viable urban
communities, including decent housing
and a suitable living environment and
expanding economic opportunities,
principally for persons of low and
moderate income.” Consistent with this
primary objective, the Federal
assistance provided in this part is for the
support of community development
activities which are directed toward the
following specific influences;
1. the elimination of slums and blight,
and the prevention of blighting
influences...
2. the elimination of conditions which
are detrimental to health, safety and
public welfare...
3. the conservation and expansion of
the nation’s housing stock in order to
provide a decent home and a suitable
living environment for all persons...
4. The expansion and improvement of
the quantity and quality of community
services.
5. A more rational utilization of land
and other natural resources and the
better arrangement of residential,
commercial, industrial, recreational and
other needed activity centers.”
Butler, who was at the Board of
Aldermen meeting when the proposal
was first made to the city, immediately
spoke against it.
He told an Essay reporter last week
that the money should be used for “basic
■stuff - a nice warm place for families. We
should think about meat, starches and
vegetables and not a pheasant under
glass.”
Inhabitants of the area in question
agreed with Butler. “It doesn’t make any
sense,” said Mrs. Dorothy White of
Bailey Street. “I’ve lived here all my life.
My mother is a widow and there are
many widows living here who shouldn’t
have to move in their old age.
“Most people have lived here all their
lives,” .said Mrs. White. Mrs. White’s
mother moved into her house on Bailey
Street in the ’40’s.
“They don’t plan right,” said Ruth.
Rpves, who lives in the nearby Happy
Hill Gardens housing project. Mrs.
Reaves attends the Mt. Carmel Church
on Bailey Street. “Several of the folks
here own their own homes and they have
been here a long time.”
“This station has been here 33 years,”
said N.A. York, a gas station attendant at
the Spur gas station. “The company owns •
the land and the city will have to pav
dearly for it.”
“It don’t sound right to me,” York said.
See Park, Page 8, Col. 1